David Bahn – Reflections

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I’m using the 49 Week Bible Challenge for these blog posts. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today’s readings are 2 Corinthians 2; Exodus 29; Job 6; Lamentations 1.

2 Corinthians 2:5-17

Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. ⁶ For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, ⁷ so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. ¹⁰ Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

¹² When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³ my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, ¹⁶ to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

“Smells like sulphur and comes from the pit of hell.” That was a member of our Saturday morning Bible study at a church I served years ago. His comment was regarding a television evangelist who was making some outlandish claims that were just close enough to the truth of God that is would deceive many. This TV “evangelist” was doing that. I say, “‘evangelist’” because an evangelist is one who brings good news – not fake news, not deceptive news, not self-promoting news.

When I think of destructive forces at work in the church and the world, I think of distrust, envy, greed, selfishness, pride, and deceit. All these come from Satan and stink up the world and the church.

Paul speaks of a fragrance of the knowledge of Christ and the fragrance from life to life. Paul uses the word “aroma” also in v. 15. The passages from Exodus speak of the aroma of the sacrifices going up to God – pleasing to him. As I look at the context of all these pleasing aromas it strikes me that it is associated with faithfulness, mercy, forgiveness, truth, and sacrifice.

These are the building blocks of life and edifying fellowship. These are the facets of faithfulness and love. These emanate from Christ himself, for he is the embodiment of all these things.

That reminds me of Mary, who took a pound (about 12 ounces) of very costly perfume made from pure nard, broke the alabaster jar, and poured it over Jesus’ head (and, in John’s account, also on his feet) as he reclined at table. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. It was an extravagant, sweet-smelling act of devotion that honored Jesus as King and Messiah, prepared him for burial, and bore witness to the transforming grace at work in her life.

Thank God for the sweet smelling aroma of Christ’s faithfulness, love, mercy, grace, and truth at work in us and our fellow-redeemed. That smells like the most delicate and lovely perfume one could imagine.